New Ipswich voters passed the town budget – barely – and approved the Mascenic School District budget as well, along with nearly every other item on the warrant.
The $2,710,452 town budget passed by just four votes, 368-364. Town moderator Robert Romeril said that as of Wednesday afternoon, town officials had not received any requests for recount.
Mascenic’s $19,254,693 school district budget passed a little bit more easily, 448-390. In Greenville, twice as many voters cast ballots for the budget than against it (68-32), while in New Ipswich, it passed 380-358.
The closest vote of the day was likely the one with the least financial impact going forward, as residents accepted the quarter-mile Valley Road as a public highway, removing the burden of snow removal from residents of the 12-house cul-de-sac.
Valley Road resident Justin Champagne took to social media Wednesday to thank voters for finally accepting the road.
“This showed me the importance of being informed and being willing to stand beside your neighbors and help them when you know it’s right,” Champagne said.
In February, Department of Public Works Director Peter Goewey told voters that he expects maintenance would only cost a few hundred dollars per snowstorm.
New Ipswich voted down just one article, Article 14, which asked for $148,500 to recompile and update the town’s tax maps.
New Ipswich voters approved everything else on the warrant, including:
■Two articles totaling $600,000 for road repairs, both five-year non-lapsing appropriations
■$258,000 for various capital reserve funds
■$40,000 for the library
■$98,066 for the ambulance service
■$9,550 for health services
■$20,440 for property revaluation
■$4,460 for the hazardous waste program
■Sale of the old highway garage
■Discontinuation of an old stretch of public highway and abandoning a 0.04 portion of land to Prime Roofing Corp
Voters also selected lifelong resident Jason Somero for a three-year Select Board seat to replace chairman David Lage, who did not seek reelection. At a candidate forum in February, Somero said he would focus on keeping taxes low for New Ipswich residents.
“When taxes go too high, it limits the freedoms families have to do the things families do,” Somero said. “I know what it is when you’re trying to find pennies.”
The two three-year Planning Board seats went to Timothy Somero and Joshua Muhonen.
Mascenic school district voters re-elected Julie Lampinen as school board representative and also voted to raise $20,000 for the healthcare capital reserve fund and $21,000 for the food service equipment.